Person Page - 973

     Joel Townsend was born circa 1841 at Lowndes Co., Georgia.¹ He was the son of Jesse Townsend and Axey Flowers.¹

     Joel Noah Townsend was born on 17 June 1855 at Alachua Co., Florida.¹ He was the son of Noah Townsend and Sarah "Sallie" Gillette. Joel Noah Townsend married Mary Bania Adkins circa 1876.² Joel Noah Townsend married Sarah Ann Elizabeth Adkins circa 1886.² Joel Noah Townsend died in August 1925 at age 70.²

     Joel T. Townsend was born circa 1840 at Abbeville Co., South Carolina.¹ He was the son of Joel Wilson Townsend and Mary Acker.

     Joel was born on 19 January 1799 at Marlboro Co., South Carolina.¹ He was the son of John Townsend and Kiziah Hays. He married Mary Acker, , on 25 October 1827 at Franklin Co., Georgia.² He married Maria Black, , circa 1845 at Abbeville Co., South Carolina.³ Joel died on 14 May 1880 at Cokesbury, Abbeville Co., South Carolina, at age 81.³
     Joel's occupation: Methodist Minister.
Biography of Joel Wilson Townsend:

Joel Wilson Townsend became a Methodist minister in 1819. He settled in Cokesbury, South Carolina in 1844 after being appointed to over a dozen churches throughout the Carolinas and Georgia. He died in Cokesbury in 1880 leaving many descendants a few of which are identified below.

     John was born circa 1760 at probably Orange Co., North Carolina. He was the son of John Townsend and Cortney (--?--). He married Kiziah Hays, daughter of Belitha Hays and Amey Clark, circa 1790 at Marlboro Co., South Carolina.¹ John died on 7 July 1843 at Marlboro Co., South Carolina. His body was buried in July 1843 at Mossy Bay Cemetery, Marlboro Co., South Carolina.
     John's occupation: Farmer.
Biography of John Townsend:

The earliest record that we believe to be that of John Townsend is his listing on the December 1788 Petit Jury in Marlboro County, South Carolina.² This is the first time that his name appears in Marlboro County as we believe that his father, John Townsend was deceased by that time.

The next record is his listing as head of household in the 1790 Cheraw District, South Carolina Census. That census shows John Townsend HH 1 male age 16+ and one female age 16+. No others are listed in this household and no other Townsend’s are listed in this census. This suggests that this is a census of John and his wife, Kiziah Hays shortly following their marriage.

In the minutes of the June 1797 Marlboro County Court John Townsend provides bond for the estate of Philip Clarke as follows: “Ordered that the admn of Philip Clarke estate be granted to Wm. Whitfield & Fereba Clark, who entered in to bond with George Evans and John Townson“³ Philip Clark and Fereba Clark are the grandparents of John Townsend’s wife, Kiziah Hays.

The next record is a deed dated 27 August 1797 in Marlboro County, South Carolina wherein John Townsend sells to Charles Daniel Lucas for 10 pounds sterling money for a certain parcel of “land containing one hundred acres more or less situate in the District of Cheraw County on the NE Side of the Great Pee Dee River” (land is described but difficult to read) Signed by John (his mark) Townsend. Witnessed by Ruben (his mark) Cook and Archibald Thomson. Recorded 11 May 1798.⁴

In the 1800 U. S. Census of Marlboro County, South Carolina we find John Townsend as head of a household containing 3 males under 10 (John, Light and Joel) 2 males 10-16 (Jesse & James), 1 male 26-45 (John) and 1 female 26-45(Kiziah).⁵ This same census lists the families of William Townsend, Thomas Townsend, Light Townsend and Benjamin Townsend all age 26-45 who we believe are all brothers of John Townsend.

A 13 March 1802 deed in Marlboro County, South Carolina shows: John Townsing selling to John Wilkerson for 10 pounds a tract of 400 acres more or less “situate and being on the NE side of the Great Pee Dee river beginning at Reedy Branch and keeping down the Three Creeks to Cooks foard and running a direct Course to Ephraim Whittington’s land running on said Whittington’s till it strikes a blazed line concluding on by John Evans & Henry Goodman and running on sd blazed line agree on by the sd Townsend and Chas Lucas and running on sd line till it Strikes the head of the sd Reedy Branch and corners in the fork of sd Reddy Branch and so concluded the sd 400 acres (more or less).” Signed John Townsing. Witnessed Thomas John and William Sellars⁶ This is a most unusual deed in that it is for a relatively large tract of land (400 acres) and it is signed with a signature of a John Townsing rather than by his mark. All the other deeds by John Townsend are for 200 acres or less and he always signed with his mark. However, based on the price paid for this land it is not of great value and maybe mostly low lying land along the Three Creeks. Also although we have found 6 deeds (including this one) wherein John has sold 1008 acres of land, we have only found one deed for 24 acres wherein he has bought land. Thus it is very likely that John either bought or inherited land and the deeds were not recorded.

In the 1810 U. S. Census of Marlboro County, South Carolina we find the John Townsend as head of household as follows: 3 males under 10 (Allen, David and Benjamin), 3 males 10-16 (James, John & Light), 1 male 16-26 (Jessee or John), 1 male 26-45(John), 2 females under 10 (Arpie Sarah & Fereba) 1 female 26-45( Kiziah).. No Slaves are enumerated. Also a. B. Townsend, Th. Townsend, and Rody Townsend are listed as head of household and living nearby John Townsend.1810 Marlboro SC Census, p. 92, 95, 96)

On 28 February 1811 a deed shows: John Brown selling to John Townsend for $24 “land containing Twenty four acres the same being part of a tract containing 500 acres granted to Samuel Brown the fifth day of December 1796 and devolved to James Brown by heirship and was transferred from said James Brown to the said John Brown and from said John Brown to the said John Townsend and is bounded So. On Elijah Hays land NE on Amey Hays lands E on James Burkets land and w on Sam[uel Burkets land, the same lying and being on the NE side of Pee Dee river near Hilsons Bay.” Signed: John Brown, Witnessed: Henry Hodges, Geo. B. Whitfield. Record 9 January 1828. ⁷ This is the only deed where we have found where John Townsend acquires land.

A deed dated 7 Nov 1812 shows John Townsend selling to Elijah Hays for $66 “land containing fifty acres (more or less) Situate on the NE side of great Pee Dee river on Hilsons Bay being part of a tract of 100 acres and was granted to Philip Clark by his Excellency William Moultrie Esq. Governor the grant bearing date July the Sixth 1786 bounded on the SE Side of the cane branch on Samuel Burket lands and on the NE Side on said Hays land and the center of the cane branch or channel to be the other dividing line as is represented in the original plat which by heirship devolved to Isaac Brigman and Elijah Hays and from said Brigman and Hays to John Townsend and from said Townsend to said E. Hays who is now a party to these presents.” Signed John (his mark) Townsend. Witnessed G. B. Whitfield, Elizabeth Whitfield. Recorded 9 January 1828. ⁸

A 1813 deed shows: John Townsend selling to William Brown for $150 for land “containing seventy acres more or less situate on the NE side of great Pee Dee River on Hilsons Bay bounded by the current of Muddy creek was granted to Phillip Clark by his Excellency William Moultrie Esq. Governor of the grant bearing date Feby the Sixth 1786 bounded on all sides as is represented by a plat to the original Grant annexed and evolved from Philip Clark to Elijah Hays and Isaac Brigman by Heirship and from said Hayes and Brigman to John Townsend who is now party to these presents”. Recorded about 1 April 1817 [Ed. Note: This is all there is on page 258 as page 259 is missing from the deed book] ⁹

A 15 August 1815 deed shows John Townsend selling to James Townsend for $400, 188 acres more or less “granted to Jarred Whittington on the 3 day of October 1791 by his Excellency Charles Pinckney Esq. Governor and lying on the NE side of the Great Peedee River near the branch bay and on the south side and the said one hundred and eighty eight acres more or less bound by a line running due north by George Charys land, NW by Burrel Whittington land and on all other lands vacant and hath such forms and marks as it represented by a plat to the Original Grant Annexed together and was conveyed from Jarred Whittington to William Whitfield and from William Whitfield to John Townsend and From John Townsend to James Townsend who is now a party to these presents.” Signed John (his mark) Townsend. Witnessed: Thomas Ammons and John McRae. Recorded 11 day of November 1815.¹⁰ James Townsend is very likely John Townsend’s son as James would be 20 years of age at the time of this deed.

The last deed and record that we have found relating to John Townsend is dated 9 August 1817 and is recorded¹¹ in Marion County, South Carolina as follows: “John Townsend of Marion Dist. sells to Archibald McBride of Marlborough Dist. SC, for $500, 200 acres more or less, described as “lying on the E. Side of Reedy Creek and ____ as follows: Beginning at a pine corner in a drain of Prices Bay, then by a with a bade(?) corner to Alexr. McRaes line on sd line to a light wood stake in Prices Pond then to another lightwood stake in said pond from thence with John McRaes line to a ____ near the Bay and from thence to the beginning, including the plantation wherein said Townsend now lives” Signed: John (his mark) Townsend. Witnessed by: Malcom McBride, Phillip McRae. Proved before Samuel Johnson, JP 25 Oct. 1819. Rec. 26 May 1820. This deed was filed in Marion County and we were able to locate this property near the Marion/Marlboro County Border at the headwaters of Big Reedy Creek. We found where Alexander McRae was living in 1790 in Marlboro County¹² on the west side of Big Reedy Creek. In addition, in a 1797 Marlboro County Deed¹³ Thomas Price’s land is mentioned as bordering land “on Big Reedy Creek part in Liberty County and part in Marlborough County where the District Line crosseth sd Creek”. Liberty County became Marion County in 1798. We believe Prices pond and Prices Bay are named after Thomas Price as his is the only Price name in the area at the time. Thus the 200 acres “wherein said Townsend now lives” is clearly on or near what was in 1817 the Marion/Marlboro County line on the eastern side of Big Reedy Creek. We have concluded that this is the same 200 acres of land John Townsend (1740-1786) was granted¹⁴ on 20 July 1772. That 1772 grant description was “Two Hundred acres situate in Craven County on the North East side of the Big Reedy Creek, bounding the North West on said Creek and Swamp, on all other sides by vacant lands." A survey plat¹⁵ on which that land was granted dated 26 October 1771 shows that land on the southern edge of a swamp and that a “ferry path” is shown running south from the swamp through the middle of the property to what appears to be another swamp or creek on the south eastern portion of the property. Both the 1772 and 1817 property descriptions are clearly in the same area on the eastern side of Big Reedy Creek. Both areas are in a drainage path of low-lying land or land that was impounded into a pond and both are for 200 acres. Although the descriptions are not exactly the same we conclude they describe the same land. Likely the original 1772 grant do not survive to 1817 when John Townsend (1760-1843) decided to sell that land. We have not found how John Townsend (1760-1843) acquired this land, but if it is the same land as granted John Townsend (1740-1786) in 1772, as we surmise, he likely acquired it from his father through inheritance by the right of primogeniture, probably at the time his father died before 1786.. John Townsend is living on this land in 1817 which suggests that likely he lived on it much of his life and that his children listed below also were likely born on this same land. If these two properties are the same as we conclude, this further supports our conclusion that John Townsend of this biography is the first born son of John Townsend (1740-1786).

The last record is dated 13 Apr 1819 wherein John Townsend is appointed administrator of the estate of Amey Hayes, his mother in law, as follows: “John Townsend returned citation for admn. On the estate of Amey Hayse; entered in to bond with John Townsend, Jr. and Jabish Townsend for $1000.”¹⁶

John Townsend and family appear in the 1820 or 1830 Census for Marlboro County.

John Townsend is buried next to his wife, Kiziah in Mossy Bay Cemetery, Marlboro County, South Carolina with a gravestone that reads: Born about 1760 died July 7, 1843. ¹⁷

     John Townsend was born circa 1740 at probably "Millfield" on Broadkill Creek, near Beaverdam Branch, Sussex Co., Delaware. He was the son of Benedictus Townsend and Lucilla Light. John Townsend married Cortney (--?--). John Townsend died before 1786 at Marlboro Co., South Carolina.
     
Biography of John Townsend:

This biography of John Townsend (1740-1786) discusses all the records we have found that pertain to him and contain our rationale to support his being a son of Benedictus Townsend. Near the end of this biography we provide our evidence and rationale for concluding that all of the Townsends appearing in Marlboro County after 1790 are children of John Townsend.

North Carolina Records

We have been unable to find any Townsend marriages in North Carolina that pertain to this family. We were hopeful that there would have been at least one Townsend marriage record in the area of Granville and Orange County, North Carolina as we concluded Benedictus Townsend was likely living there between 1751 and 1764 and possibly later. Granville marriage records are extant for that time period but no Townsend’s are listed. Orange County marriage records prior to 1779 have not survived.

South Carolina Land Records

We were able to find deeds or plats on only four pieces of property that we can attribute to John Townsend (1740-1786). The earliest record we have found on John Townsend is a South Carolina plat dated 25 October 1771 wherein John Bremar, Esq. DSG conveyed by survey “unto John Townsend … 200 acres situate in Craven County the NE side of big ready Creek bounded to the N.W. … by the said Creek and Swamp and all other sides by vacant land … Surveyed on the 25th day of Oct 1771. (Recorded on 5 May 1772) Signed Anthony Pouncey"¹ A royal grant for that land was issued on 20 July 1772 to John Townsend as follows: "George the third to John Townshend Two Hundred acres situate in Craven County on the North East side of the Big Reedy Creek, bounding the North West on said Creek and Swamp, on all other sides by vacant lands."² This grant shows that this land is located on the northeastern side of Big Reedy Creek. This land located very near the border between Cheraw (now Marlboro County) Precinct and Georgetown (now Dillon County) Precinct. The fact that the land was vacant on all sides suggests that this property was remote from other landowners. The location of this land shows it to be some 5 miles east of where Light Townsend (1745-1817) owned 100 acres of land “on Hilson Bay on Head of Muddy Creek” (now Rogers Creek) that he had acquired from his father, Benedictus. The granting of 200 acres also suggests that John had at least three people (one hundred acres for John and fifty acres for two others) in his household.

A plat dated 3 February 1773 for 200 acres of land to David Leigh shows David Leigh's land bordering that of Light Townsend and John Townsend. The plat reads as follows: "South Carolina, Graven County … I have advanced and laid out unto David Leigh a plantation or tract of land containing two hundred acres situate … on the NE side of Pee Dee River, near Hilson Bay, bounded to the SoEt by John Townsend land & part by Light Townsends land and on all other sides by vacant land ...”³ Clearly this land is “near Hilson Bay” and its bordering Light Townsend land very likely implies that this land is located “on Hilson Bay on Head of Muddy Creek”. This David Leigh land is not bordering the land that John Townsend was granted “on the North East side of the Big Reedy Creek” in 1771. One can infer that by February 1773 John Townsend owned land lying “near Hilson Bay” and very probably “on the Head of Muddy Creek” very near where Benedictus Townsend was first granted land and next to where Light Townsend (1745-1817) owned land. This ownership of land by John Townsend (1740-1786) joining land owned by Light Townsend (1745-1817) suggests a very close relationship.

Thirteen days later, on 16 Feb 1773 another plat shows 150 acres of land was advanced to John Townsend (1740-1786) as follows: "I have advanced and Laid out unto John Townsend a planter a tract of land containing one hundred fifty acres Situate lying and being in Craven County on the NE side of Peedee River “.⁴ This is a most unusual land plat as the land appears to encompass and link together small pieces of vacant lands between previously established landowners. A Memorial dated August 1773 for that land was entered into the land Memorial books in Charleston as follows: "George the Third to John Townsend ... One hundred fifty acres Situate in Craven County on the North East side of Peedee River. North West on Land laid out for Mr. Cattle and Bounding West on Samuel Brown South part on Magee & part on Charles Kerbys North East on William Pounceys the other sides on Vacant Land.”⁵ It is not clear just where this land is located and we did not pursue plats or grants of the other individuals in an attempt to locate it. However, as a royal grant it does show that John Townsend's family had grown by at least three persons (fifty acres per person) that entitled him to the land. This suggests that by the end of 1772 John Townsend's family consisted of at least six persons including himself.

On 25 Nov 1775 John Townsend and his wife, Cortney, sold to John Brown for 20 Shillings 150 acres of land granted said Jno. Townsend in Craven Co "by His Excellency William Bull lying and being in Craven County aforesaid and butting and bounding as follows. That is to so say NW on land laid out for Mr. Cattle, W. on Samuel. S. part on Mr. Mcgee and part on Charles Kerbey's, NE on William Pouncy. The other sides on vacant land....The said plantation a tract of land containing one hundred and fifty acres of land." Signed: John (his mark) Townsend and Cortney (her mark) Townsend. Witness: Lite (his mark) Townsend, Samuel Brown, John (his mark) Kelly.⁶This is the same unusual shaped 150 acre tract of land granted to John Townsend on 31 August 1773, This deed was recorded into the Marlboro County Deed book in 1790, likely by someone recording earlier deeds on this property. This deed also shows for the first time that John's wife was named Cortney and that John and Cortney signed with their mark. The marks, if copied correctly by the recording clerk, are unique and might be of value in comparing this document with other documents signed by John and Cortney Townsend should they be found. The witnessing of this deed by Light Townsend again suggests a close relationship with John Townsend.

The above deeds and plats show that John Townsend (1740-1786) was already married and had at least 4 children by the end of 1772. There is no evidence to suggest exactly when he moved into South Carolina however, one can infer that it was probably between 1764, when Benedictus Townsend arrived and 1771 the date of his earliest record in South Carolina.

Petition of Safety

On 9 October 1775, Light Townsen and John Townsen signed a petition in St. David's Parish, Craven County to the Council of Safety of South Carolina for the issue of officer commissions for Robert Lide, Thomas Poe and William Watkins to head a company of Volunteers in opposition to the British.⁷ This clearly establishes John Townsend (1740-1786) as joining the Revolution and is one of the documents that caused the Daughters of the American Revolution to declare John Townsend as an American Patriot. There are no other records that show that John Townsend (1740-1786) served in any military capacity other than signing this 1775 petition.

Conclusion Regarding Parentage of John Townsend

We conclude based on the above deeds and petition of safety that John Townsend (1740-1786)and Light Townsend (1745-1817) are brothers. We have also concluded that Light Townsend is a son of Benedictus Townsend thereby making John Townsend (1740-1786) also the son of Benedictus.

Conclusions Regarding the Death of John Townsend

On 4 Sept 1786 in Marlboro County, "Geo. Trawick appeared in Open Court and acknowledged a deed of conveyance for 150 acres of land to Wm Townshend, son of John Townshend and ordered the same to be recorded.” "And at the same time one other tract of 100 acres to Benj Townshend and ordered to be recorded.”⁸

The first of these two deeds⁹ dated 4 September 1786 is as follows: George Trayweak, planter of Marlborough to William Townsend, son of John Townsend for the sum of 5 pounds sterling that parcel of “land containing One hundred & fifty acres more or less situate lying and being whereon Cortney Townsend now lives and hath such marks courses and scope as is agreed by the said parties … being part of a tract of land containing six hundred & forty acres granted to the said Geo Trayweak on the fifth day of June in the year 1786 by William Moutrie Governor & Commander in Chief in and over the State of South Carolina.” Signed. George Traweak, Witnesses: Wm Whitfield, John Hilson, Jessie John. This is a most unusual and revealing deed that implies several things. They are:

First: The words "whereon Cortney Townsend now lives" implies that John Townsend had died as why else would the deed mention his wife, Cortney, instead of mentioning him. If John Townsend were still alive, he would likely have been the purchaser of this land, where his wife “now lives”, rather than his son as women had no right of ownership, except through a husband. Therefore, based on this deed and as there is no further indication of a John Townsend born about 1740 in any further records in the area we are placing John Townsend (1740-1786) as having died in Craven County before 1786.

Second: These 150 acres were part of a 640 acre grant (1square mile) of land made to George Trayweak by the Governor of the newly formed state of South Carolina after the Revolutionary War. It appears that Cortney Townsend (and likely her children) were living on that same land that was granted to George Trayweak in June 1786. This suggests that Cortney Townsend and family may have been renting the land they were living on and were now buying it. As will be shown later in the Trawek to Gin deed this tract of land is “on E Side of the three Creeks” and very likely is near the Mossy Bay Cemetery where some of these Townsends are buried.

Third: This 1786 deed suggests that William is one of the oldest male children of the family. His mother, Cortney Townsend, being female, had no right to buy land in her name thereby leaving the buying and ownership of the land “whereon Cortney Townsend now lives” to an older son.

Fourth: This deed states that William Townsend is the son of John Townsend probably to distinguish him from his Uncle, William Townsend (1746-), who likely is still living in the area.

The second of these two deeds dated 4 September 1786 is as follows: George Trayweak, planter of Marlborough to Benjamin Townsend for the sum of 5 pounds sterling that “parcel of land containing One hundred acres more or less situate lying and being adjoining Lyght Townsend’s land whereon he now lives and hath such marks course and Shapes as is agreed on by the said parties … being part of a tract of land containing six hundred & forty acres granted to the said Geo Trayweak on the fifth day of June in the year 1786 by William Moutrie Governor & Commander in Chief in and over the State of South Carolina.” Signed. George Traweak, Witnesses: Wm Whitfield, John Hilson, Jessie John. ¹⁰ These two deeds being executed at the same time suggests Benjamin is also a son of John Townsend (1740-1786), just as the first deed is to William Townsend, son of John Townsend (1740-1786). Tula Townsend Wyatt, on p. xviii of her book Seven Townsend Brothers indicates she deduced based on these deeds that William and Benjamin were both sons of John and Cortney Townsend. ¹¹ That is our conclusion also.

The following is an abstract of a Marlboro County deed dated 3 March 1787 stating: "Georg. Trawek of Cheraws District Malburg County to Mashack Gin of same. For 60 (?) pounds Sterling, 50 acres more or less on E Side of the three Creeks, joining Jacob Green, William Townsend, Robert Blear... being part of a tract of 640 acres granted to sd George Trawek 5 June 1785... George Trawek, Wit: Light (his mark) Townsend, John (his mark) Townsend, Benjamin (his mark) Townsend. Rec 5 Mar 1787”¹² From this deed we deduce that the Light Townsend (who signed with his mark) is Light Townsend (1745-1817) and not Light Townsend (1770-1851) who would not have been of age to sign such a deed and who signed later deeds with his signature. Light Townsend (1745-1817) is also known to have adjoining land as indicated in the 4 Sep 1786 deed between George Trayweak and Benjamin Townsend mentioned above. We also deduce that the John Townsend who witnessed this deed is John Townsend (1760-1843) and not John Townsend (1740-1786). Our rationale for this is we believe that John Townsend (1740-1786) was dead by this time and the unique mark used by John Townsend (1740-1786) on an earlier deed was not recorded on this deed. Benjamin as concluded above is the son of John Townsend (1740-1786)

Conclusions Regarding the Children of John Townsend and His Wife, Cortney

The above allows us to conclude that William and Benjamin Townsend are the sons of John Townsend (1740-1786) and his wife, Cortney. However, we have found evidence indicating eight Townsend’s born in the 1760 to 1770 time period, were residing in Marlboro County after 1790. Those Townsend’s are John (1760), William (1762), James (1763). Rhoda (1765), Mary (1765), Benjamin (1765), Thomas (1765), and Light (1770). We have concluded that these Townsend’s are all children of John Townsend (1740-1786) and his wife, Cortney. Our evidence and rationale for coming to this conclusion is as follows:

First: After extensive searching, we have found records to show the existence of only three Townsend males in Cheraw Precinct that could be the father of these Townsends born in the 1760-1770 time period. Those males are John Townsend (1740-1843), Light Townsend (1745-1817) and William Townsend (1746- ).

Second: Two of these males, Light and William, came to Craven County with Benedictus Townsend about 1764. This is based on William and Light Townsend paying the quit rents and obtaining deeds in their name of the same land granted Benedictus Townsend in 1764/65. [See biography of Benedictus Townsend]

Third: Light Townsend (1745-1817) removed from South Carolina to Kentucky in 1788. [See biography of Light Townsend (1745-1817)] His 1817 Will suggests he took his whole family with him. In his Will, Light clearly named his children and grandchildren. The only children mentioned are children that went with him to Kentucky or were born in Kentucky after he arrived there. None of the Townsends found in Marlboro County after 1790 (except for Mary) are named in that will. There is no mention in the Will of any children that may have remained in South Carolina after he moved to Kentucky. (The Mary in the Will is clearly Mary (Polly) Townsend who married David Sample and should not be confused with the Mary Townsend of Marlboro who married a Stapleton.) We realize that it is possible that Light just did not name any children that he left behind in South Carolina in his Will, but do not believe he did so. His estate consisted of land and household goods, which he left to his wife and six unmarried children. He specifically left a token one-dollar to his daughter Polly (Mary) who was married with 10 children at the time of the will, and one dollar to each of his three grandchildren by his deceased son, Coleson. Probably this was to prevent Polly or Coleson's children from making claim against the estate for a fuller share. The 1817 will of Light Townsend (1745-1817) appears to be have been well considered, and well drawn. It does not appear to have been a deathbed Will that was quickly drawn and merely left everything to his wife and unnamed children as such wills are wont to do. It seems reasonable to believe that Light Townsend (1745-1817) would have and could have easily included the names of any other children of his (such as those he may have left in South Carolina) and left them a token amount to insure that they would not be able to make a claim against the estate based on being left out of the Will. Since he did not name any other children in his will one can only conclude that there were no other living children except those mentioned in the will. We conclude that Light Townsend (1745-1817) is not the father of any of the Townsend’s that appear in Marlboro County South Carolina after 1790.

Fourth: We know that William Townsend (1746- ) acquired his father's 50-acre plat about 1767. Such a small plat suggests that William was single at the time. There is no record of his acquiring additional land beyond the 50 acres and we cannot find any further records that would suggest he had either married or had children. The lack of any further records leaves us to conclude that none of the Townsend's appearing in Marlboro County after 1790 are the children of William.

Fifth: The third Townsend to come into Craven County was John Townsend (1740-1786) who was granted 200 acres of land in 1772 and granted another 150 acres in 1773. It is clear that John Townsend had at least six persons in his household (including him) to receive these grants. Since there are no records of slaves being in these Townsend families until the 1830's these six persons no doubt are John, his wife, Cortney and four children. We have identified eight Townsends who appear to have been born before 1773 and appear in Marlboro County records around 1800. They are John (1760), William (1762), James (1763), Rhoda (1765), Mary (1765), Benjamin (1765), Thomas (1765), and Light (1770). As discussed above we have concluded that William and Benjamin are sons of John Townsend. That leaves John, James, Rhoda, Mary, Thomas and Light that we have been unable to find clear evidence to indicate whom their parents were. We have found no evidence of William Townsend (1746- ) having any children and have concluded that they are not the children of Light Townsend (1745-1817). We can only conclude that all of these children are the children of John Townsend (1740-1786) and his wife, Cortney. Obviously, this is not a strong or perhaps even a convincing argument by which to conclude these Townsends are the children of John Townsend. However, without finding any additional evidence after a long and reasonably thorough search for pertinent records, this is the best conclusion we can draw. We do provide, in some cases, additional evidence to support this conclusion in the biographies of these children. Hopefully, further evidence will surface in future to help clarify this matter.

Rebuttal of Conflicting Information

The above is our rationale for our conclusion that all Townsend’s appearing after 1790 in Marlboro County, South Carolina are the children of John Townsend (1740-1786) and not Light Townsend (1745-1817) or William Townsend (1746- ). We realize that dozens of Townsend researchers have previously stated that all these children were the children of Light Townsend and not John Townsend. We have thoroughly researched the basis on which these researchers based their work and believe that their conclusion that Light Townsend (1745-1817) is the father of these children derives from three sources which we find to be non-credible.

The first source is in J. A. W. Thomas’s History of Marlboro County published in 1897 wherein on page 43 he states in referring to the Townsend family: “The first to come, so far as our information goes, was Light, who is put down as an active soldier of the Revolution. He is said to have been the father of two children, John and Rhoda, both of whom the writer distinctly recollects..."¹³ J. A. W. Thomas uses the statement “He is said” when referring to Light Townsend being the father of John and Rhoda. This suggests that J. A. W. Thomas is not sure of that relationship and so states that uncertainty. Considering that this statement was made 110 years after Light Townsend was in Marlboro County, it should not be taken as a statement that J. A. W. Thomas had any personal knowledge of. There is little doubt that he knew John and Rhoda, but it is very doubtful that he knew who their father was. J. A. W. Thomas's statement that Light Townsend is their father has little credibility and should not be considered as factual.

The second source is Tula Townsend Wyatt in her book Seven Townsend Brothers. On the first page of her Preface and Acknowledgement she states: “My father and grandpa had copied family records from my great grandfather, Thomas R. Townsend’s Bible which was published in 1820, and given to him by his parents, Thomas Townsend (1765-1828) and Elizabeth Stapleton Townsend. The sheets of “fools cap” paper held many names and dated (sic) but had been handled so much that they were in scraps. With my mother’s careful fingers, the dusty scraps of old paper were arranged so as to be deciphered and copied by my grandfather and my father nearly a century ago. These old scraps have turned to dust, but the records written on them a century and a half ago are preserved for generations to come.”¹⁴ She goes on to state “It took many years, much correspondence, and research to get the genealogy proven as had been written in the old Bible and on “fools cap” paper in the beginning.” On pages xxi and xxii she further talks about the “fools cap” paper, which was “a mass of crumpled paper” which Ms. Wyatt and her father “did to the best of our ability, copy that which was left of the old records; and after years of searching and collaborating with interested Townsend kindred, we found these old records to be true.” These statements clearly indicate that the Seven Townsend Brothers was not based on the “fools cap” paper records or on any Bible records. Those records were apparently used by Ms. Wyatt only to “collaborate” what she had found through her own searching and clearly were not the basis for her genealogy. Ms. Wyatt states in very clear terms on page xiv “Light Townsend of Marlboro and his wife were the parents of a least six children:” She then lists John (1760), Rhoda, Thomas (1765), Light (1770), William and Mary as their children. This compiler was not able to determine the basis on which Ms. Wyatt made that statement. The omission of any proof or basis for that statement is very uncharacteristic of Ms. Wyatt. One merely has to read her work and read how she generally supports her statements with clear rationale and often with copies of deeds, indentures, articles, or clear citations of sources to prove her statement. On later pages she does discuss and even quotes J. A. W. Thomas statement that Light Townsend “is said” to be the father of John and Rhoda, but then she goes on to suggest that Light had other children that J. A. W. Thomas would not remember, such as Ms. Wyatt’s ancestor Thomas Townsend (1765-1828). The way her statement reads it appears that she believed the J. A. W. Thomas statement to be credible, which as discussed above we found to be non-credible. We also suspect that Ms. Wyatt incorrectly believed that the deeds and the Moses Pearson Will witnessed by Light Townsend around 1800 were deeds signed by Light Townsend (1745-1817). As discussed in the biography of Light Townsend (1745-1817) we found the deeds and Will were signed by Light Townsend (1770-1851). These deeds were signed with a signature (as Light Townsend (1770-1851) was wont to do) and not with a "his mark" as Light Townsend (1745-1817) signed his papers. Also Ms. Wyatt did not know that Light had moved to Kentucky and it would be very unlikely that he would have been in Marlboro to sign all those papers.

The third source is the ”Townsend Papers” in the possession of the John Rogers Townsend family of Marlboro. Marie Townsend Butler recently abstracted¹⁵ these papers. These Townsend Papers contain original deeds and grants to Benedictus and Light Townsend from the 1700’s that were handed down owner to owner finally ending up as the property of John Rogers Townsend. A cursory examination of these papers could suggest that the 100 acre property granted Benedictus Townsend by King George III in 1765, and who had in turn sold to his son, Light Townsend (1745-1817) had passed down through the family, father to son, by inheritance. That being the reason those deeds were in the possession of John Rogers Townsend and suggesting that John Rogers Townsend and his grandfather, Light Townsend (1798-1870) were direct descendants of Benedictus and Light Townsend (1745-1817). What better reason was there for those original deeds to be in the possession of the John Rogers Townsend family of Marlboro? Marie Butler told this compiler that it took her many hours to abstract those papers, as they were very faint and difficult to read. However, a close examination of those abstracts when lined up in chronological order shows that the 100 acre property Light Townsend (1745-1817) acquired from his father, Benedictus Townsend was sold by Light Townsend to William Allston in 1780. Then in 1823, this same 100 acre property was purchased from Charlotte Allston, widow of William Allston, by Jabish Townsend (son of Rhoda Townsend) . Light Townsend (1798-1870), grandfather of John Rogers Townsend then acquired this land from the estate of Jabish Townsend in 1847 via a Sheriff’s sale after Jabish had died. Those transactions clearly explain how the Benedictus and Light Townsend grant and deed for the 100 acres of property ended up in the possession of Light Townsend (1798-1870) and subsequently the John Rogers Townsend family of Marlboro. (In those days they often did not record deeds, but rather passed the deeds with all prior transfer deeds down from property owner to property owner.) Due to the fact that the chain of transfer for this property from Benedictus Townsend down to Light Townsend (1798-1870) was not from father to son, but was interrupted by a 43 year ownership by the Allstons, the possession of these early deeds by John Rogers Townsend does not demonstrate direct decent from Benedictus and Light Townsend (1745-1817). Certainly, John Rogers Townsend may have thought he was descended from Light Townsend (1745-1817) as that is what Marie Townsend Butler indicated in her 1980 genealogy The Townsends of Marlboro that she compiled from her fathers papers. Ms. Butler in a letter dated 26 June 2005 to this compiler stated: “However, I do feel some hesitancy about the “Townsends of Marlboro”. I am not at all positive of the accuracy. As you know, this was put together only to try to save information gathered by my father John Rogers Townsend. Quite frankly, some of it was hard to read – letters from many different places.”

We know, as we have a copy of a 1957 letter Tula Townsend Wyatt wrote to John Rogers Townsend, that Ms. Wyatt corresponded with (and may have even visited) John Rogers Townsend of Marlboro in the 1950’s or 60’s. She no doubt was aware of and may have even examined the “Townsend Papers” that John Rogers Townsend had. One could speculate that Ms. Wyatt and John Rogers Townsend influenced each other into thinking they had found two independent credible sources (The Townsend Papers and the “fools cap” papers”) both inferring that Light Townsend (1745-1817) was the father of these children. It would not be unreasonable, faced with these two sources and the J. A. W. Thomas statement, that they would have been very confident to believe that Light Townsend (1745-1817) was the father of all these children. In fact, it may very well have appeared to them to be a truth so apparent that there was little need to provide further explanation. This may explain why Mrs. Wyatt provided no explanation for her statement that Light was father of these children.

As we compiled other documents of these early Marlboro Townsends and were able to trace Light Townsend from South Carolina to Kentucky, (in part using information from Kentucky gathered by Howard Bowers) it became more and more apparent that Light Townsend could not be the father of these children as claimed by Ms. Wyatt and others.

The children listed below are based on the above rationale.

     John Townsend was born circa 1820 at Liberty Co., Georgia.¹ He was the son of Jesse Townsend and Axey Flowers. John Townsend died circa 1858 at Florida.²

     John Townsend was born circa 1872 at New Troy, Lafayette Co., Florida.¹ He was the son of James Madison Townsend and Zilpha Thomas. John Townsend married Minnie (--?--) circa 1904. John Townsend died on 5 September 1952 at Lafayette Co., Florida.² He was buried at Walker Creek Bethel Bapt. Chr., Lafayette Co., Florida.²

     John Townsend was born in 1839 at Alabama. He married Martha Townsend, daughter of Jesse Townsend and Axey Flowers, on 13 January 1858 at Duval Co., Florida.¹ John Townsend died before 5 July 1879 at Duval Co., Florida. He was buried at Duval Co., Florida.

     John was born on 6 September 1796 at Marlboro Co., South Carolina.¹ He was the son of John Townsend and Kiziah Hays. He married Vicie Hargrove, , in 1817 at Marlboro Co., South Carolina.² He married Hulda Hargrove, , in 1832.² John "Jack" Townsend married Rachel Jane Hill circa 1832.³ John died in 1847 at Suwannee River, Florida.²
     
Biography of John "Jack" Townsend:

John, or Jack, as his descendants refer to him, moved to Irwin County Georgia about 1824-25 with his brothers Jessie, Allen and David R.. He is found living next door to his brother, Allen, in the 1830 Census of Lowndes County Georgia, which was formed out of Irwin in 1825. (This likely explains why the names of his first four children are found in the Allen Townsend Family Bible) By 1838 he had acquired land in the northeast portion of Madison County, near present day Hickory Grove Church, His brothers David and Allen acquired land a few miles to the west several years earlier and it is assumed Jack removed from Georgia to Madison County Florida about 1838. He is also found in the 1840 Madison County Census. By the late 1840’s he likely moved into Alachua County on the east side of the Suwannee River a few miles north of the present town of Bell, Florida, as his widow and family is found there in the 1850 Census.

Additional information is included in the following excerpts from a genealogy by William Thomas Townsend, a great grandson of Jack Townsend, as included in his addendum³ to Marie Butler’s “The Townsends of Marlboro”.

“Jack Townsend moved to Lowndes County, Georgia, soon after its creation in December 1825, and settled in the 662 Militia District in what is now Berrien County. His brothers, Jessie and Allen also moved there about the same time. Jack was commissioned 1st Lieut. of the Militia in the 662nd District 8-9-1827 and served until 5-27-1830. He was still residing there at the time of the 1832 Cherokee Land Lottery in which he drew land. He removed about 1835 to the area of Madison County, Florida, which later became Lafayette County, where he settled on or near the Suwannee River not far from its confluence with the Santa Fe River. According to the 1840 census records, he and brothers, Allen and David, were all in Madison (Lafayette) County, Fla.”

“Jack drowned in 1847 and census records for 1850 show Rachel Townsend as head of the Jack Townsend family with children listed. Alachua County marriage records show her marriage 8-21-1853 to Nathan Shepherd by Robert Youngblood, J.P. Census records for 1860 show her as Rachel Shepherd, head of Jack Townsend household with children listed, but no mention of any husband. (I am inclined to believe there were children of Nathan and Rachel -which he took when they separated. WTT)”.